How to Tell When Lunch Meats Are Bad

Sure Signs Your Deli Meat Has Gone Bad

The other day, a friend dragged me to the kitchen and asked me to inspect her sliced deli turkey. It had been sitting in the fridge for more than a couple of days, and she wasn't sure if the turkey was still edible or not. I explained that there are several ways to tell when cold cuts have gone bad:

Start by looking at the sell-by date. All lunch meats (whether they are prepackaged or fresh cut from the deli) have a sell-by date. It's best to consume the meat within seven to 10 days after the sell-by date.

Generally speaking, once it's been opened, eat within three to five days.

If the meat is extremely slimy with a film on the outside, throw it away.

Any odd or off smells of vinegar, ammonia, or yeast mean it's time to throw out the turkey, pastrami, or ham.

This goes without saying, but if there's any mold or growths on the meat or package, dispose of it immediately.

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34 weeks

And if it starts acting like Kim K, then you know it's VERY bad.

4 years

Ate a ham sandwich today, smelled it, tasted it, both were fine, even the roommate said it looked fine.. not really SLIMEY... ate a sandwich, and a little while later someone realized the date on it was April 4th.. today is april 29th. Oops... hope i survive

5 years

I thought this was a really good article. I purchased premium cracked pepper turkey 3 days ago. It was slimy almost like it was dipped in fat and it had an off smell. From ready your article it's apparently bad even though it was just purchased and wasn't left out that long. BUMMER.

5 years

thank you that was very helpful! i wonder what the judgemental commenters eat that others might find disgusting?

6 years

My grandson ate some turkey breast that was out of date
he got up in the night with his stomach hurting but today he said it didn'thurt record they is any harm doen.MJ

Definitely toss it if it's at all slimey or has a weird smell to it. My parents buy sliced deli meat all the time and my dad has eaten bad meat more times than one. Generally, you should only buy as much meat as you can eat in 3 days or so...don't go buying a pound of turkey if you're not going to eat it all in 3 days or you will have slimey gross meat that you'll have to throw out. Also, deli meats can harbor Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, which most people can fight off easily, but if you're pregnant or immunocompromised, you're best off not eating deli meats at all unless you heat them up to 140 degrees.

Definitely toss it if it's at all slimey or has a weird smell to it. My parents buy sliced deli meat all the time and my dad has eaten bad meat more times than one. Generally, you should only buy as much meat as you can eat in 3 days or so...don't go buying a pound of turkey if you're not going to eat it all in 3 days or you will have slimey gross meat that you'll have to throw out.
Also, deli meats can harbor Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, which most people can fight off easily, but if you're pregnant or immunocompromised, you're best off not eating deli meats at all unless you heat them up to 140 degrees.

I had bad lunch meat once from Subway. It was roast beef. The roast beef had a strange sheen to it... I shouldn't have eaten it, but I was hungry. Yeah. I was sick for a day after that.
When in doubt, throw it out.

I had bad lunch meat once from Subway. It was roast beef. The roast beef had a strange sheen to it... I shouldn't have eaten it, but I was hungry. Yeah. I was sick for a day after that.When in doubt, throw it out.